1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a device for performing multiple tasks. More particularly, the present invention relates to a device for digitizing documents and reading and decoding optical codes, such as bar codes, DPM codes and RFID codes. Even more particularly, the present invention relates to a device for digitizing and processing checks in accordance with the standards and requirements of the Check 21 Act and for reading and decoding optical codes.
2. Description of the Related Art
The Check 21 Act signed into law by the President of the United States in October 2003 establishes a legal basis for an electronic form of check. In the United States, after the law takes effect in October 2004, mandatory acceptance of the new digital check will be required. For example, banks and other financial institutions will be required to accept a digital image to clear checks, thereby making check processing, including check authentication, much faster and reducing check fraud.
In order to conform with the Check 21 Act, checks have to be digitized before being presented to be cleared via automated check clearing processing. Digitization can be performed by business establishments accepting checks by mail or at a point-of-sale, such as retail establishments, service providers (telephone companies, satellite television companies, etc.); education institutions; and banks of a first deposit, such as financial institutions who accept checks for deposit. As is known in the art, checks, like many documents, can be digitized using scanning or imaging devices operating on particular platforms and the resulting digital images being stored in databases.
Currently business establishments and financial institutions rely on these scanning devices operating on particular platforms to scan and digitize checks and other devices/systems operating on the same or different platforms to perform additional tasks. In order for the scanning devices and the other devices/systems to communicate and acknowledge each other, custom application software is generally required, including communication protocols and hardware. Custom application software is also required for performing Check 21 processing methodologies to process the digitized checks in accordance with Check 21 standards and requirement before presenting the digitized checks for clearing. This results in an increase in set-up, maintenance and operating costs.
A need therefore exists for an integrated platform enabling the digitization of checks and other documents, including the processing of checks in accordance with Check 21 standards and requirements, and the performance of additional tasks, such as reading and decoding optical codes, such as bar codes, DPM codes and RFID codes.
A need also exists for a device for digitizing and processing checks in accordance with Check 21 standards and requirements and for reading and decoding optical codes.
Additionally, a need exists for a device for digitizing checks, as well as processing the digitized checks in accordance with Check 21 standards and requirements, when operating in a first mode, and for imaging, laser scanning, sensing, reading and decoding optical codes when operating in a second mode.